DNA replication is the process by which a cell makes an identical copy of its DNA. It involves 3 key steps: replication, transcription, and translation. Replication copies DNA into 2 identical DNA molecules. Transcription makes an mRNA copy of a gene. Translation then uses this mRNA to produce a protein. DNA replication is semiconservative and bidirectional - the parental DNA strands separate and each acts as a template for a new complementary strand. The leading strand is synthesized continuously while the lagging strand is synthesized discontinuously in fragments called Okazaki fragments. Various enzymes such as DNA polymerase, helicase, and primase work together to accurately replicate DNA.